By Anderson Ojwang
The race for the Kisumu gubernatorial seat is turning uglier and muddier with the emergence of sibling rivalry pitting Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron and former area MP Ken Obura.
The two gubernatorial aspirants, both from the Kano clan — the largest in Kisumu County — and once close pals, have now embarked on a dog fight, each trying to outdo the other.
Kano clan is served by two constituencies: Nyando with 80,757 voters and 166 polling stations, and Muhoroni with 79,765 voters and 163 polling stations.
Dr Oron, who declared his interest in the seat three years ago, has been traversing Kisumu County campaigning and undertaking various development programs to woo voters.
Obura is the new entrant in the race after he declared his interest last month and opened battle fronts with Oron when he ‘robbed’ him of his key allies and campaign secretariat.
Obura managed to rock Oron’s camp by securing the support of his personal assistant Nyaori Nyang and women leader Judith Matengo, a Kibuye-based businesswoman.
“An kaka Nyaori Nyang, kawuono awuok ka Oron officially kendo a join Team Obura. An ema nyocha an PA mare, aweyo salary kod ofis kuno. Ulowa ikoso ok uluwa. (I, Nyaori Nyang, from today have defected from Oron’s camp and joined Ken Obura’s team. I was his Personal Assistant. I have decided to forgo my salary. I hope you will join me in supporting Obura’s team),” he said.
But Oron also pulled a fast one on Obura when Kano elders endorsed his candidature over the weekend.
The elders, led by former Nyando MP Otieno Karan, said elders and opinion leaders from the Kano clan had resolved to support Oron for the gubernatorial seat.
“Ne wantiere e bura ka kod office mar Kano motingo jo ridocom kod ogache ma Kano kod opinion leaders. Adwaro wacho ni kaka office mar Kano wakalo gi kauli achiel ni wan Dr Oron ema wadhi godo manyo kom mar governor. Kanitie jok moko ma owuok kendo ok watamo gi. To Kano osewuoyo ni Oron ema wadhi godo manyo kom. (We held a consultative meeting as officials, elders, and opinion leaders of Kano and unanimously agreed to support Dr Oron for governor. If there are other aspiring candidates, we will not stop them, but Kano clan has made its decision that we support Oron for governor).”
And yesterday, Matengo claimed that Dr Oron was discriminating against UDA members in the empowerment funds drive for traders in Kisumu, which is supposed to be presided over by CS Treasury John Mbadi.
But later, Matengo was captured in a video clip storming a meeting that was organizing the empowerment drive and causing chaos.
Oron condemned the incident and demanded police action, saying political hooliganism should not be encouraged in the county.
“This was uncalled for. What Nyaramba did today was actually wrong — invading people’s gathering while they were discussing matters of their interest, in which she wasn’t involved. The county government and the police should take quick action to save traders from constant harassment ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.
Oron said he was least bothered by Obura’s entry into the race because he resonates well with voters and is optimistic of victory.
“I have been on the ground and the people have decided. Go to the ground and you will find the answer. I will win this race. I am least worried by detractors. My eyes are on the ball,” he said.
But Obura, while on a campaign trail in Nyalenda, said his development record speaks for itself and warned his opponents that he has the financial muscles to run them down during campaigns.
“Ngata ngata ma dwaro kom governor ka idwaro gonyo jopiny kod mia, mano aiyie dog e MCA. Ka idwaro gonyo ja piny kod Sh 200 dog e MP. To mar governor matin mogik obed mia 500. Wadwaro ni wach gono obed gima tin mogik ma watieko godo bang ka waswacho development. An achung kod UDA. (Anyone who wants the gubernatorial seat should be prepared not to give voters Sh 100. If you can only afford Sh 100, kindly go for MCA seat. If you can only afford Sh 200, go for MP. For governor, the minimum you can give voters is Sh 500 going forward. This is the game I know how to play. I am the only candidate at the moment. I will run on a UDA ticket; the others are still waiting for nomination),” he said.
Sibling rivalry is a common feature among the people of Kano. In the 2017 ODM nomination, the first Governor Jack Ranguma faced off with Dr Hezron MacOmbewa. The party later gave the ticket to Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o in a controversial exercise.
Ranguma had to face the wrath of his cousin, then Nyando MP Fred Outa, and Patrick Ouya, who teamed up to deliver victory to Nyong’o.
And Kano is back to its usual sibling rivalry once again, with Ranguma, Oron, and Obura expected to be on the ballot for the gubernatorial seat.
